Protective leg covering

ABSTRACT

The present invention includes a protective device for the lawn or landscape worker that protects the lower leg. This device clips onto the hem of the user&#39;s short pants and wraps around the user&#39;s lower leg. It is secured to the leg with straps and fasteners. This device allows for quick and easy donning and removal. This device also allows for maximum protection and comfort.

This application claims the benefit of provisional application No.60/764,602, filed Feb. 3, 2006, titled Protective Lower Leg Coveringsthat Attach to User's Short Pants for Use with Power Lawn Equipment,String Trimmers, and Mowers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When landscape employees or gardeners work with grass or shrub cuttingand trimming tools, there is a large probability of obtaining cuts andabrasions on one's legs. Most workers solve this problem by wearing longpants. However, especially in the summer months, long pants can beextremely uncomfortable, and there is an overwhelming desire to wearshort pants.

This invention is located in the art including limb protection devices.There are many protection devices, each having a unique feature orcomponent. The invention of Cho, U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,070, is a leg andfoot protective device comprising a soft, energy absorbing material withstraps and hook and loop fasteners that wrap around the leg and foot.The invention of Carter, U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,247, uses a formed tube fora leg protector. There are many other types of leg protective devices.Another example is the invention of Carter, U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,262.This invention includes a protective material that uses straps with hookand loop fasteners to attach to the belt or belt loops of pants andstraps to wrap around the leg to secure the device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an improved protective device for thelower legs. This protective device clips to the bottom or hem of shortpants and protects the bare leg that is exposed from the short pants tothe ankle. The clips allow quick donning and removing of the protection.This yields a comfortable and easy-to-use protection, and quick removalduring breaks to increase user comfort.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the leg protector laid flat, looking from the side exposedto the elements, such as grass trimmings, stones, etc.

FIG. 2 shows the leg protector laid flat, looking from the side thattouches the skin of the bare leg. This view is the opposite of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows the leg protector formed as it would be worn around theleg.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in the drawings, the present invention provides a protectivedevice adapted to be worn around the lower leg of the user. FIG. 1 showsa rectangular piece of material 10. This material consists of twopieces, approximately 20 inches long by 9 inches wide. These two piecesare sewn together to make one piece of protective textile. Thisresulting textile is a cotton/polyester blend that is comfortable forthe user and provides protection.

This material 10 is wrapped around the leg of a user. The top, one ofthe lateral edges, approximately nine inches wide, is clipped onto thehem, or bottom, of the user's short pants. There is a set of straps andfasteners preferably clips that facilitate the connection of thematerial 10 to the short pants. There can be anywhere from one to threeor more straps and clips. The preferred embodiment consists of threestraps 21, 22, 23 having three clips 31, 32, 33. One end of these straps21, 22, 23 are sewn onto the material 10. The clips 31, 32, 33 are sewnonto the opposite ends of the straps 21, 22, 23 respectively.

The user, when donning this protective device, first fastens the clips31, 32, 33 to the hem, bottom, of his or her short pants. The material10 then hangs down in front of his or her leg. These clips 31, 32, 33are spring clips. The user will squeeze the spring clip mechanism andfasten them to the short pants.

The straps 21, 22, 23 include an adjustment means. This allows the userwith varying short pants lengths and leg lengths to use this device withmaximum protection and comfort The adjustment means can be any knownmeans to lengthen and shorten the straps 21, 22, 23.

The user will then wrap the material 10 around the front of the user'slower leg, or shin. There are straps attached to the sides of thematerial 10. The sides are the vertical sides, approximately twentyinches long. Each vertical side has at least one strap sewn to it. Thepreferred embodiment consists of two straps on each vertical side. Theleft side, looking at the side exposed to the elements, as shown in FIG.1, has two straps 41, 42 attached to it. One end of these straps 41, 42is sewn onto the left lateral side of the material 10. There arefasteners preferably snap fasteners 61, 62 that are sewn onto theopposite ends of straps 41, 42. The snap fasteners 61, 62 are preferablylocking clips and can be either the male half of the locking clips orthe female half of the locking clips. FIG. 1 shows the fasteners 61, 62as the male half of the locking clips.

The right side, looking at the side exposed to the elements, as shown inFIG. 1, has two straps 51, 52 attached to it. One end of these straps51, 52 is sewn onto the left lateral side of the material 10. There arefasteners preferably snap fasteners 71, 72 that are sewn onto theopposite ends of straps 51, 52. The snap fasteners 71, 72 are preferablylocking clips and can be either the male half of the locking clips orthe female half of the locking clips. FIG. 1 shows the fasteners 71, 72as the female half of the locking clips.

The user will wrap the straps 41, 42 around one side of the lower leg,and wrap the straps 51, 52 around the other side of the lower leg. Theuser will then connect the male locking clips 61, 62 to the femalelocking slips 71, 72. This will then secure the protective device to thelower leg.

The straps 41, 42, 51, 52 include an adjustment means. This allows theuser with varying leg sizes, or diameters, to use this device withmaximum protection and comfort. The adjustment means can be any knownmeans to lengthen and shorten the straps 41, 42, 51, 52.

FIG. 2 shows the opposite side of the present invention. This drawingshows the overlap of one end of the straps 21, 22, 23, 41, 42, 51, 52and the material 10. This drawing also shows more detail of clips 31,32, 33 that squeeze and clip to the short pants.

FIG. 3 shows the shape of the present invention when it is in the formas if it were secured to the user's lower leg. A section of material 10is cut away in this drawing to show more detail of the strap 22 sewnonto the material 10. The clips 31, 32, 33 are fastened to the shortpants. The material 10 is hanging from the straps 21, 22, 23. Thematerial 10 is wrapped partially around the user's leg. The straps 41,42 are also wrapped around the user's leg. The straps 51, 52 are alsowrapped around the user's leg. The fasteners 61, 62 are connected to thefasteners 71, 72. This results in the present invention fully wrappingaround the user's lower leg. This protective device is attached to theuser's short pants and secured around the user's leg.

The present invention protects the user's legs from grass trimmings,stones, rocks, branches, and any other material that can cut, abrade,and hit the user's lower legs. This invention allows the user to wearshort pants so as to be maximally comfortable. This protective devicecan be quickly donned or removed from the lower leg. Therefore, as theuser pauses the landscape work, the user can quickly remove theprotective device so as to allow cooling and comfort. As the work isresumed, the donning of the protective device is quick and easy.

1. A leg protector for covering a portion of a human leg comprising: apiece of material, having a pair of vertical edges and a pair of lateraledges, at least one strap, one end of said at least one strap attachedto one of the lateral edges, at least one fastener, each fastenerattached to said at least one strap attached to the lateral edge, saidfastener located on the opposite end of said strap, at least one strap,one end of said at least one strap attached to each of the verticaledges, a fastener attached to each strap attached to the vertical edges,said fastener located on the opposite end of said strap, whereas each ofsaid at least one strap attached to the vertical edges wraps partiallyaround the leg, so that one of said fasteners can attach to the other ofsaid fasteners and secure the leg protector to the leg.
 2. A legprotector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fastener attached to saidat least one strap attached to the lateral edge is a clip to attach toshort pants on the leg.
 3. A leg protector as claimed in claim 1 whereinsaid at least one strap attached to the lateral edge comprises threestraps.
 4. A leg protector as claimed in claim 2 wherein said at leastone strap attached to the lateral edge comprises three straps.
 5. A legprotector as claimed in claim 4 wherein said straps include adjustingmeans for lengthening or shortening the straps.
 6. A leg protector asclaimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one strap attached to eachvertical edge comprises two straps.
 7. A leg protector as claimed inclaim 6 wherein said straps include adjusting means for lengthening orshortening the straps.
 8. A leg protector as claimed in claim 2 whereinsaid fasteners comprise snap fasteners.
 9. A leg protector as claimed inclaim 1 wherein said material extends down to the ankle of the leg. 10.A method for protecting a human leg comprising the steps of: providing apiece of material, having a pair of vertical edges and a pair of lateraledges, each of said vertical edges having at least one strap, said atleast one strap having a fastener, fastening one of the lateral edges toshort pants on the leg, wrapping said straps around the leg, attachingeach strap together using said fasteners, and securing the leg protectorto the leg.
 11. The method defined in claim 10 wherein said at least onestrap comprises two straps.
 12. The method defined in claim 10 whereinsaid fasteners are snap fasteners.
 13. The method defined in claim 10wherein said step of fastening to the short pants uses a clip.
 14. Themethod defined in claim 13 wherein said step of fastening to the shortpants includes a step to adjust the length of said at least one strap.15. The method defined in claim 10 wherein said step of attaching saideach strap together includes a step to adjust the length of said atleast one strap.